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QUESTIONS FOR HASBRO - round 88

Please post your VOTE for up to 4 {four} of the questions provided in this thread, letting us know which ones you most want to see asked on October 29th. Keep in mind that your votes in round 87 do not count in this round, so if your question is still on the list you may want to vote for it again.

Also, feel free to post new questions. For reference, here are Hasbro's answers to previous SSG questions; and from other sites. The questions we asked last round can be found here.

Current questions (vote for up to 4):

- With the 2008 Medical Frigate Luke figure, the figure almost fits the bill for Echo Base recovery scene Luke, if not for the open mechanical arm, and the different likeness with scars and Hoth hairstyle. That scene also has another character whose figure is in dire need of updating: 2-1B, who hasn't seen a new figure design in over a decade. With a Recovery Luke figure, it'd just be a new head required (the body and undamaged forearm tooling already exists from the VOTC figure) so you could also include the mask he wore in that scene's less-infamous cut footage (we're not asking you to make kissing Luke & Leia, you'll have to decide if you're twisted enough to go there ;-) ). So, any chances of knocking the Echo Base Recovery scene out of the park by making new 2-1B and Luke recovery figures?

- The initial Force Unleashed figures were released well before the actual game, and many of the cooler figures sold quickly and were hard to find by the time the game was released. Of the major characters, the Jumptrooper, Evo Trooper, Vader, and Galen Marek have seen a few re-releases, while Juno Eclipse (sadly) still languishes on store shelves in many areas. One figure that was never re-released though is Rahm Kota, who was one of the first figures to vanish upon the initial release, and has since appeared in other Star Wars media, including a different video game. Given that he is likely to appear in a major role in The Force Unleashed II later this year and the 2 exclusive TFU 5-packs were released in May, are there any chances Kota might be re-released as a Greatest Hits figure, or perhaps even updated with a new, more actor-accurate and 'blinded' head sculpt, as well as a deactivated saber hilt for his shoulder scabbard?

- Force FX has entered a new phase with the removable blade series, and so far we've seen the first couple waves. Thanks to Clone Wars, female characters are back on the rise in Star Wars and bringing in more female collectors - Ahsoka especially has been selling very well. What does the future of Force FX look like? What are the chances of Ahsoka's lightsaber being added to the Force FX line, better opening that market up to female consumers and getting Clone Wars main character recognizability?

- In the upcoming Battle Over Endor multipacks, you've included a figure of Lt. Yong, the Y-wing pilot from ROTJ that flies (and dies) under the handle Gray 3, but the torso used on the figure is the existing B-wing pilot design rather than a Y-wing pilot torso. On the ROTJ Y-wing pilot costume, the collar is different and the chest box and apron are more like the POTF2 Lt. Yong figure (at the time he was misidentified as Arvel Crynyd, but it was Yong's helmet, face, and Y-wing pilot torso and apron just in the wrong color - red instead of gray). Is this new Lt. Yong using the B-wing pilot torso a mistake, or just a cost-saving measure? In either case, if there are future ROTJ Y-wing pilot figures down the line, will we get a new movie-accurate torso for them with the unique costume chest box and apron, and closed collar?

- You have this nice new Qui-Gon Jinn figure that came out in the Jedi Evolution set, and has been re-released in the nifty Eopie mail-away set, yet both times the figure has been marred by including the blobby 1999 lightsaber accessory. Luke Jedi keeps coming out with either repaints of the ROTS Obi-Wan's lightsabers (which has different details), or worse, the blobby Obi-Wan POTJ saber from 2000. Both the '99 Qui-Gon and '00 Obi-Wan as Luke Jedi sabers also have the old smooth blade design without the flare on top of their soft hilt sculpting, and both Qui-Gon and Luke Jedi actually had better saber accessories designed during the Saga line, yet we never get them. And what about one of the most iconic lightsabers in recent SW memory, Darth Maul? There is no modern-quality version at all, the closest is the '02 Saga metal hilt with removable blades, but the blades break easily, so we haven't seen it in a while, and it's a bit long. We don't have a deactivated one to hang on a belt, don't have a 1-blade-activated version, don't have a "cut in half" version, Maul is pretty lacking for his weapon. Why are we getting old junky saber accessories with the modern versions of these guys? Why aren't we seeing better, more accurate lightsaber accessories for some of these fairly major, recognizable Jedi characters? And will these issues be addressed soon?

- Although we've gotten in recent years a better Luke from ANH, and even a second Han Solo Death Star Escape, we've still not really gotten an acceptable Luke Death Star Escape figure. The last one was the 25th Anniversary set which was essentially a statue. Luke and Leia's "swing to freedom" (as Hasbro describes it) is one of the earliest, most iconic Star Wars images, and yet not only do we not have a truly acceptable Leia figure for this, but we don't have a modern-quality Luke for it, and he's the hero of the scene! Luke would need a stormtrooper utility belt and grappling hook & line (and if these just happened to be swappable with a regular Luke ANH belt to complete the Death Star scenes in this costume, so much the better), and articulation to deliver the action, and a quality likeness would mean a lot too. Are there any chances that we get a Death Star Escape Luke like this? And while we're at it, how about a Leia as well?

- In several instances now, when asked about the new Slave I getting an ESB release, the response is that it largely depends on how the current Clone Wars version does at retail. If the decision to release it this way is based off sales, why release this as a $100 set with a few re-released figures, and a vehicle repaint that wasn't really hotly requested? If this CW set does sell, does that suggest an ESB release would get a similar Ultimate Battle Pack treatment with the release of some new figures like Bespin Guards and an existing vehicle like the Cloud Car? If that's not likely in store for an ESB Slave I, why predicate that release on this one when it has a different pricepoint, market, and really a different business model altogether? Why release the CW one in this ultimate battle pack format, was this vehicle originally planned for the now-defunct $60 Deluxe Vehicle line and repurposed, was this always the plan for it, or if not, how did this come about this way?

- Given previous answers from Hasbro that a Cane Adiss figure was not off the table, and then the character showing 10th in the most recent Fans Choice poll, it certainly seems like eventually we'll probably get a Cane Adiss figure at some point down the road. With that in mind, has the Hasbro Star Wars team given any thought to how Cane, the largest character in the Fans Choice poll, could be realized as a product since he undoubtedly wouldn't fit on the current basic card - would it be a battle pack, a mail-away, an exclusive for Toys R Us (a good tie-in to the giraffe-themed retailer)? And has there been any discussion on a "whole creature" design for Adiss similarly to how the team extrapolated a fully-realized design for aliens like Dice Ibegon that were only prop puppet heads? Obviously we're not expecting Lucasfilm approval on any ideas you guys might have yet, but preliminarily, what does the Hasbro team feel a Cane Adiss figure would look like?

a) not your run-of-the-mill Star Wars humanoid character, and
b) a fan's choice finalist who, because of the anatomy and size issue there exists a need for Hasbro to comment specifically on this finalist.

I told you in my previous post that I am totally aware that there isn't a place for Adiss YET in the current line. I want to know HOW Hasbro plans to release him when there IS a plausible venue, and WHAT he will look like when they release him. Perhaps they will give us a hint as to when the collector themed packs or maybe even a future exclusive might show up, I don't know. I'm just talking hypothetically here. Or they could just totally shoot him down and say they no longer have plans for him.

And thanks for the support btw BigB. I think all your points are valid and are addressed in my shortened question, just not in as many words. Anyway I feel that Cane Adiss is a different and strange enough subject that he deserves a full out explanation from Hasbro about their plans for him. Since he's a fan's choice finalist, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curious about these issues surrounding the character.

So once again, my edited question:

[FONT=Times New Roman]Has Hasbro considered a way to bring the largest character in the Fan’s Choice poll, Cane Adiss, out into the line as he no doubt would not fit on a basic/vintage card due to his size? Also, have you discussed a possible creature design for Adiss (as that aspect of the character is what has us most curious) and if so roughly what would it look like? Do you only plan on developing the literal props from the film (as in stand alone necks) or do you have something more elaborate and toy-friendly in mind?[/FONT]

a) not your run-of-the-mill Star Wars humanoid character, and
b) a fan's choice finalist who, because of the anatomy and size issue there exists a need for Hasbro to comment specifically on this finalist.

I told you in my previous post that I am totally aware that there isn't a place for Adiss YET in the current line. I want to know HOW Hasbro plans to release him when there IS a plausible venue, and WHAT he will look like when they release him. Perhaps they will give us a hint as to when the collector themed packs or maybe even a future exclusive might show up, I don't know. I'm just talking hypothetically here. Or they could just totally shoot him down and say they no longer have plans for him.

And thanks for the support btw BigB. I think all your points are valid and are addressed in my shortened question, just not in as many words. Anyway I feel that Cane Adiss is a different and strange enough subject that he deserves a full out explanation from Hasbro about their plans for him. Since he's a fan's choice finalist, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curious about these issues surrounding the character.

So once again, my edited question:

Has Hasbro considered a way to bring the largest character in the Fanís Choice poll, Cane Adiss, out into the line as he no doubt would not fit on a basic/vintage card due to his size? Also, have you discussed a possible creature design for Adiss (as that aspect of the character is what has us most curious) and if so roughly what would it look like? Do you only plan on developing the literal props from the film (as in stand alone necks) or do you have something more elaborate and toy-friendly in mind?

I'll rewrite and add this for now mainly because we're short and it does mention the fans choice poll which is the 1 thing I think could make it important enough to ask. But I suspect it'll go down in flames if asked.

Originally Posted by The Space Outlaw

#7 for me, and maybe #1.

What is this "maybe" stuff? I'll count your vote for it, if you want to change it later, please LMK what vote you want to replace #1 with.

Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.

Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.

The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.

With the focus of vehicles being largely based on sales to kids, I have noticed a lack of a particular play pattern: interaction with previous releases. Why no connection point for the turret in the Anti-Hailfire Squad BP to use it with the Turbo Tank? Why not use a connection on the Turbo Tank that could incorporate the bubble turrets from the Republic Gunship? A simple redesign on the stand, and it could be a great new Deluxe release. Could you keep those of us who have been collecting for years in mind when designing these new accessories?

question
Purely as a toy, the recent X-wings are a bit large and expensive for some kids. Is there any chance for a smaller, "vintage-ish" X-Wing? A droid slot and a better mechanism for the wings and landing gear would go a long way. Every kid should have an X-wing!